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5 fun Christmas things to do with Google Home

With Christmas right around the corner, your house is likely decorated from wall to wall and filled with all the Christmas smells. But with the help of your Google Home speaker, you can help capture the spirit even better this year.

Here are five fun things you can do with Google Home this Christmas season.

Play Christmas tunes

One of the most obvious things you can do with Google Home this Christmas is play your favorite Christmas tunes. With a Google Home speaker, you're able to stream music using Google Play Music, YouTube Music, Spotify and Pandora.

Just say, "OK, Google, play Christmas music," and it will begin playing generic Christmas tunes with your default music service. If you'd rather not hear the same ol' songs on repeat, you can also create a playlist with Google Play Music, YouTube Music or Spotify, give it a unique title and ask to play that instead.

If you happen to have a Chromecast, you can throw that music over to your television, too. And if you happen to be using Google Play Music, you can turn on the fireplace visualizer to replace the typical album art.

Control your Christmas decorations

Seeing as one of the main functions of a smart speaker is controlling your smart home, you can upgrade your Christmas decorations this year by making them smart. All you need is a few Google Home-compatible smart plugs and your typical strand lights. Then you can say things like, "OK, Google, turn on the Christmas lights" or, "Hey, Google, turn on the Christmas tree."

Now that Google Home can handle two commands at once, you could create a shortcut that plays Christmas music when you turn on the decorations.

Track Santa

Google has its own Santa tracker filled with games and other activities. But you can also keep track of Santa's progress and whereabouts with Google Home, too. All you have to say is, "OK, Google, track Santa" or, "OK, Google, where is Santa right now?"

Leading up to Christmas, Google will tell you what Santa is currently up to, such as sweeping up his workshop. But once Christmas Eve rolls around, you will be able to track Santa throughout the day.

Help Santa

Not only can you track Santa, you can even call him up with Google Home. Just say, "OK, Google, call Santa."

When you call Santa up, he's preparing for a musical concert and you have to help him find the best way to play it by answering a series of questions.

Tell Santa what you want for Christmas

When you talk to Santa, you typically tell him what you want for Christmas, and you can use Google Home to do that, as well. Say, "OK, Google, talk to Santa's hotline."

This will connect you with the man in the red suit. Give him your name and tell him whether you've been naughty or nice this year. Then you tell Santa what's on your wish list for Christmas. Santa will then send your list to his elves.